


Legends

by TheSilentUnderworld



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Stony - Freeform, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 02:11:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14727992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSilentUnderworld/pseuds/TheSilentUnderworld
Summary: “Tony?”Of course, of course of course of course, someone’s seen him, found him. “What?” He asks bitterly, not turning to face them.“What are you doing.” The tone is stern, and it isn’t really a question. “Get down from there.” Then less so.





	Legends

**Author's Note:**

> Set post Captain America: Civil War, Pre-Infinity War. The epic return of me and my cursed writing after two or so years.

Everyone knows Tony Stark has hang ups. He splayed some of them out for an entire crowd at MIT. But, you only know the problems faced by a man like Tony Stark in the way you read about heroes in history books. “His parents abused him, he lost the love of his life, he fought for A against B and he’s a hero.” You never know the whole story, the facets and flaws and character traits that made them great, just the history. Just a Legend.

Of course, there were the select few he handed the 3d glasses to. Other Legends, mostly. War Machine and Pepper Potts, Spiderman and The Incredible Hulk. People who stood on the same pedestal, people he trusted through common goals. Mutually assured destruction. 

And then there was Cap. Steve Rogers, who he’d butted heads with from the beginning. Who with the ‘assured destruction’ plan, destruction was assured. He wasn’t able to approach it the same way as he did every relationship, and it fell apart because of it. It all did.

He imagined that was the ultimate ending to every Stark’s story. A rise and a fall, a hard one, that you don’t get back up from. He brought the bottle to his lips, looking down at those New York lights. It was too cold to be out here. He was too drunk to be up here. Everything was spinning. He’d made it spin. Another sip. His feet are much farther away than he remembers when he stands, and he almost falls there- isn’t that worried if he had. Oh well. So what? 

“Tony?” 

Of course, of course of course of course, someone’s seen him, found him. “What?” He asks bitterly, not turning to face them.

“What are you doing.” The tone is stern, and it isn’t really a question. “Get down from there.” Then less so. 

It could be anyone, really. Happy or Rhodey or Pepper or Peter or… “Steve?” His eyes betray him, and turn to look.

“Yeah.” The man steps forwards, disheveled since last they met. Weren’t Tony so numb he might have things like ‘war criminal’ or ‘enemy’ running through his mind, but right now all he could feel was the wind pushing him closer to the edge of Stark Tower- Avengers Tower. An abandoned building. He really shouldn’t be here, but, neither should Steve. “I need you to come here, Tony.”

“Think this would hit someone if I dropped it?” Tony holds out the bottle over the ledge, it’s almost empty, contents visible through the back-lighting of the city. 

“Wouldn’t want to take the chance, right?”

“I mean, numbers game. Maybe two is better than definitely a million. There aren’t too many people out this time of night, anyways.”

“You aren’t going to hurt a million people, Tony.” 

He hears the steps behind him, and swivels around, anger painting his features. “Already done it, what was the population of Sokovia again? 730,000? How many now?” 

“That wasn’t all on you.” 

“Yes it was, don’t bullshit me. And all those people before, those soldiers and civilians and- my weapons.”

“Your fathers weapons.”

“I didn’t stop them! I didn’t stop it until it affected me- I was- I’m so-” He feels the tears on his cheeks, chilled by the wind. “I can’t let myself keep hurting people. This is the most responsible decision I’ve ever made.”

Steve’s eyes are unreadable. His hands are clenched, and he lets out a breath that floats away. “So you’ve really made up your mind?” The comment sits in the air a moment, Tony doesn’t know how to answer. “At least give me time for goodbyes then.”

Tony nods, wipes his face. Steve puts a hand out, and Tony steps down. The bottle is left on the ledge, and he’s half expecting to be pulled off to a hospital for suicide watch. That doesn’t happen.

“I know you.” Steve starts, and his hand hasn’t let go of Tony’s. “And I know you’ve never wanted to hurt anyone, ever.”

“Doesn’t mean-”

“Don’t.” It’s not angry, it’s not a demand. It’s a plea. “Tony, you’re not dangerous. You’ve made mistakes, big ones, but you always meant to help people. You aren’t your father. You aren’t.” He’s a half step closer than he had been, Tony didn’t notice. “You’re Tony Stark. Ironman. Clean energy and relief efforts, not bombs and bullets.” Tony can feel the heat radiating off of him. “Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist, remember?”

Tony laughs, and he doesn’t mean to. Steve’s hand is warm on the back of his neck, as he pulls him into an embrace.

“You mean a lot to a lot of people, Tony. Who would kids like Peter look up to without you?” 

“You, probably.” He’s crying, really, and for the first time in years he isn’t trying to pretend he’s not. 

“T’ch, are you kidding? I punch things good but, I’ve got nothing on your head. That’s what Peter loves, you’re a self made hero. I got a shot.”

“I guess that’s true.” He’s being pulled inside before he can really react, being brought over to a windowsill (there’s no furniture any more, best seating option.) They talk until the sun comes up, which isn’t impossibly long, before Tony’s too tired to try to kill himself. He hands Steve his credit card when they get in the Taxi, knows Steve knows which address to tell the driver. 

He’s asleep before they're three blocks down, let alone out of the city.


End file.
